Tears of an Angel
by Jennarei
Summary: A rock slide causes Simba to lose something very dear to him... *inspired by RyanDyan's Tears of an Angel*


**Hello after about an eternity of not updating, I came up with this! It's a sad one-shot, I know, and for some reason, whoever reads it thinks I'm depressed! Whether you think that I have emotional issues or not is entirely up to you. I simply will you to read it and review with however many angry comments about me killing off a character. Oh well, ENJOY!**

**SIMBA'S POV**

I was walking calmly, legs aching from having to stand for so long. Some giraffes had gotten into a dispute with some gazelles and the problem had quickly gotten out of hand. Hooves and horns everywhere! One giraffe had to go to Rafiki because of a deep gash along one leg. It wasn't pretty or easy but I managed to calm both parties down after several hours of talking and EXTREME convincing. I was finally heading home.

I just couldn't wait to eat and see my family! Nala had been on the hunting party today, and that always seemed to make dinner seem tastier somehow. Plus, I promised Kopa that I would teach him some hunting techniques today after we ate. Kopa. He seemed to grow bigger everyday! There was no denying it, he was my son. He had the same boundless energy and admittedly, annoying waking habits. Although, he had inherited Nala's beautiful blue eyes and his pelt was a lighter gold than mine. I couldn't wait to see my son. I didn't want to miss out on one moment I could have with him, especially after what happened to me when I was younger. I didn't want anything to come in between me and him. Nothing could separate us. I loved him more than anything. He and Nala were my whole world.

"SIRE!" Zazu's familiar squawk reached my ears and I flicked my tail impatiently. I didn't want to have to deal with anything for the rest of the day! I was heading home, whatever issues the herds had could wait until tomorrow. I had a family waiting! Still, I stopped and waited out of respect for the Major Domo. He did perform his job each and everyday diligently and without fail.

"Yes Zazu?" I asked, when the blue hornbill landed on a nearby rock, struggling to catch his breath. He held up one feather to signal me to wait. Man, was he tired. How fast was he flying? Now I was worried, he may take his job seriously but for him to fly so hard that he was this winded when he landed something major must have happened.

"It's...*pant*...young master..." he whispered. I tensed. Young master meant Kopa. What happened!

"Where?" I had to keep from shaking the small bird, "Where is he?" my heart beat quickened as a thousand grim possibilities flooded my mind.

"...Stone Hill..." he panted, pointing in the general direction. It was a small area filled with rocks and stones, many of them were piled into small heaps and hills. I specifically told him not to go there! The stones could crush him! Realizing what could have happened...I shot off, paws pounding against the dirt, willing and praying that whatever happened, my son would be okay.

My legs didn't move nearly fast enough, but the familiar gray, bumpy silhouette of Stone Hill appeared in the distance. I ran faster, willing my legs to move faster, asking the wind to push me forward, the ground between me and the hill to shrink. They didn't. But I still got there faster than I think anyone ever did. Being a terrified father would do that. At the base,  
a powder covered cub was crying and trying to push some rocks from a fallen pile. When I skidded to a stop, small pebbles hit their legs and they looked up at me with shocking blue eyes.

"I tried Uncle Simba..." she managed to choke out, before sobbing harder and digging into the pile again, sending smaller stones flying behind her and making a tooth aching screeching sound against the larger ones. She tried what? Was Kopa under there? My heart beat painfully hard, and I quickly picked Vitani up and set her aside. Before I knew it, my paws were dislodging every stone that they could. A dismal sight greeted me.

_Cover my eyes_

A light gold body was resting chest down on the floor, one front leg pinned awkwardly underneath their body, other legs bent at unatural angles.

_Cover my ears_

The body had places where red swells pressed against the skin. A small cry emerged from the lighter gold muzzle. Eyelids fluttered to reveal sapphire eyes.

_Tell me these words are a lie_

"He was hurt by an-an avalanche, Uncle Simba! He was sliding down the hill...and...and a lot of rocks fell." Vitani explained, voice cracking and tears continuing to flow down her small cheeks. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. This couldn't happen to him. Not him. Not Kopa. Ice water ran through my veins as I approached Kopa and his body trembled with a feeble breath.

_It can't be true_

I slowly came closer and called his name waiting for his reaction. This was just a bad dream. Just a horrid nightmare. A terrible nightmare. Hurried steps sounded behind me and I heard the distinct rattle of Rafiki's staff. I didn't turn around. My eyes stayed on the horrific sight of my...badly hurt son. I barely registered Miko talking to his daughter Vitani, and Rafiki telling Zazu to find Tal and Nala. It was only when he placed his hand on my shoulder that I whirled around.

_That I'm losing you_

"Please tell me that you can help him! Please!" I begged, looking for any indication that the shaman could help my son.

_The sun cannot fall from the sky_

"I can only try." He whispered. He then proceeded to gently pick Kopa up and place him on my back. I flinched at his pained cries. Please Kings, please help him.

_Can't you hear Heaven cry_

Just a cub. He was just a fun-loving energetic cub. Now, he was reduced to a broken shell of his formal self. I could hear his cries of pain with every step I took. I wanted to cry right along with him_._

_Tears of an Angel_

The baobab tree where Rafiki lived and worked finally appeared. As it drew near, Kopa's cries had already begun to fade and a rolled my shoulders. He could not quit now. He couldn't. I wouldn't let him. Rafiki gently lifted him from my back and held him to his body. Kopa looked so frail, so tiny and fragile. So vulnerable. It broke my heart. I gently called out to him.  
"You'll be alright."

_Tears of an Angel_

I prayed, I begged to kings to take away his pain and injuries and give them to me. I would gladly take them if it meant that he would be okay.  
"I'm here, what happened? Simba what happened?" Nala asked, worry dripping from her every word. I looked up from the small, ground level entrance that Rafiki disapeared into and met her panicked eyes with my own.

_Tears of an Angel_

"No..." she breathed, her ears flattened against her head. She didn't want to believe what was happening. I didn't either. She began to shake, and tears began to collect on the corners of her eyes.  
"I'm sure he'll be alright Nal.." I reassured quietly. Behind her, I saw Tal rush past and hurry into the tree. I wanted to follow, to see how my son was doing, to see his progress, but Nala's trembling paw on my own kept me still.

_Tears of an Angel_

We stood there, anxiously staring at the green branches of Rafiki's tree and praying that with each passing second, Kopa was getting better. He had to get better, he had to! A single, wrinkled hand motioned for us to rise, and me and Nala raced inside faster than we ever did before. My blood ran cold once more when a small, bandaged, and heavily drugged Kopa looked at us curiously. Nala ran up to him and layed down on her stomach, instantly whispering to him. A rough hand on my shoulder stopped me from doing the same.

_Stop every clock_

"He won't make it trough de night." he said softly, only loud enough for me to hear. He then left, Tal behind him, and my wife and I were alone with our son. He was dying. He was going to fall asleep and never wake up again. No. I wouldn't allow it. Please Kings, I prayed, please make all of this stop. Don't let the sun rise, leave me with my little boy forever. I couldn't lose him. I couldn't lose him.

_Stars are in shock_

As Kopa let out a strangled cry, I held my breath and rushed over to my family. Clear, salty tears rimmed his sapphire eyes, he gritted his teeth and took shallow, body wracking breaths. I took a place next to Nala, who had Kopa nestled in her arms.  
"You can do it Kopa. You'll be alright. As soon as you get all better, I'll teach you how to be the best pouncer ever." I had to be strong. For him. No tears fell down my face. His cry faded.

_The river won't run to the sea_

"You mean it?" he asked. Barely audible. I held back a sob.  
"Yes. Of course. I promise with all of my heart." I smiled. He gave me a smile too. My heart clenched and my stomach lurched. He had to stay. He had to stay. I couldn't let go of him. I shouldn't have to let go of him.

_I won't let you fly_

He began to cry again.  
"It hurts really bad.." he sobbed, and his breaths became more labored. I simply reassured him that everything was going to be okay. Nala began to sing a lullaby that her mother sang to her. When Kopa was a baby, it would bring him down from all of his crying fits, and now, it calmed down his heart breaking cries of pain. I wanted to take all of his pain. I wanted to go instead of him, I needed to go instead of him.

_I won't say goodbye_

"I'm sorry Dad.." he whispered, tears still streaming down his face. I immediately shushed him "No, it's okay. It's all okay. You're going to be alright, you'll see." I reassured him, I was really trying to reassure myself. I couldn't let him go tonight. I couldn't let him go while I was still alive. A parent should never have to bury their children. Nala talked to him too, saying how big and strong he was going to grow up to be.

_I won't let you slip away from me_

He wouldn't leave me. He was going to stay with me and grow up. He was going to laugh at me as I got old and take over the kingdom when I couldn't. He would marry a nice girl and have beautiful kids. He would live. Another cry cut my pep talk short. Please stop this! I needed the kings to take away his pain, so that my son, could live.

_Can't you hear Heaven cry_

I felt so powerless. I couldn't stop this. When he fell off of my back or a rock, a simple nudge or a lick from Nala would make him feel better. Now this...I couldn't fix. I could try all I wanted, but I knew that my precious Kopa...he would not get any better. Not this time.

_Tears of an Angel_

I could feel Nala's fear. Kopa had closed his eyes. She looked up at me with pure panic when a small wheeze came from his body. He was still alive. Just barely. Before Kopa, I had never understood my father's fear of my adventures. I never understood how he, a great king, could be scared of me getting hurt. But now I understood. The day that I knew that he was my son-that I was his father-a fierce need to protect him came over me. The instinct to keep him safe from harm overtook my very being. And now, I had failed. I had failed to keep him out of harm's way.

_Tears of an Angel_

"Dad?" he had awaken and I snapped out of my thoughts.  
"Yes Kopa?" I frantically answered. Anything that he would ask, I would answer.  
"Could you tell Vitani...that it wasn't her fault?" he whispered, voice raspy. I nodded.  
"Of course."

_Tears of an Angel_

Nala bent over Kopa and began to sing the lullaby again. Her voice shaky and tearful, but still beautiful. Kopa coughed and cried out again. She ever so gently licked his head.  
"You know..." she began quietly, "You were a surprise. We weren't expecting you. But when you came...we were so happy."  
"Really?" barely audible.  
"Yes. We weren't nearly ready for you and it was a chaotic ride...but you're worth it.

_Tears of an Angel_

He was worth it. He was worth every midnight awakening and every difficult feeding. He was worth all of the doubt of my father abilities and the crazy evenings where he wouldn't stop talking for at least an hour straight. Kopa was worth every crazy rescue mission and baby-sitting nights where we got into the worse of trouble. I never knew that I could love someone so much. Every single one of his laughs, smiles, burps, bumps and bruises were engraved in my memory. And all of them were about to stop. Forever.

_So hold on_

"Mom...Dad...I won't get better...will I?"  
"Of course you will. You'll get better and then we'll go home, one big happy family!" I assured him. But we all knew it wasn't true. I wanted it to be so true...so so real though.

_Be strong_

"It hurts.."  
"Hold on there buddy. Be strong." My voice and confidence were cracking. Fast. His face was paling.

_Every day you will grow_

"You'll be the handsomest lion around!" Nala whispered. More clear tears running down her face. Kopa didn't respond, just barely smiled. No. This was not happening. He would grow.  
He would grow so much.

_I'm here, don't you fear_

"I'm scared." he breathed, real fear in his eyes. No, Kopa couldn't be scared. He had to be happy.  
"Don't be. There isn't any reason to be scared. Your mother and I will protect you." but we couldn't this was the one monster that we couldn't protect him from. The one thing that I knew that we couldn't keep at bay. And it was coming for my son.

_Little one, don't let go_

His breathing began to slow. Nala held him closer. I touched him with a paw.  
"Hang on Kopa!" I hissed, desperate.

_Don't let go_

He didn't speak. Only winced.  
"Just hold on!" Nala cried. I could only see Kopa running, jumping, laughing, smiling, shouting. Not lying there, defeated.

_Don't let go_

"I...love...you.." he managed to say. I could barely hear him. He was so faint. So faded. He was almost gone, and I wasn't ready at all to let go. Not yet.  
"I love you too." both of us. His parents. A last, oh so painful yet completely true message to their fading son. It was nothing. It was nothing compared to life.

_Cover my eyes_

His chest stilled. His eyes slowly shut closed.

_Cover my ears_

No more labored breaths of cries of pain came from his small mouth.

_Tell me these words are a lie_

He was gone. Kopa was gone. His pale, limp body assured that. But it couldn't be true. My son, the ball of energy, happiness and life that was Kopa was still alive.  
He had to be.

**Sooo...what did you think? Was it good? Bad? HORRIBLE? Or just plain sad? Please let me know by clicking on that little button and reviewing. It would be most appreciated! **

**P.S: The next chapter for First Crush 2 should be put soon (hopefully)**


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